Single sheet ejector for printing press



Nov. 26, 1968 c. A. BIRD SINGLE SHEET EJECTOR PRINTING PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22. 1966 INVENTOR Car/fan A. Bird NOV. 26, 1968 lRD 3,412,996

SINGLE SHEET EJECTOR FOR PRINTING PRESS 1 l NVENTOR 0 Car/fox? A. 5/74 ATTORN s United States Patent W 3,412,996 SINGLE SHEET EJECTOR FOR PRINTING PRESS Carlton A. Bird, Emporia, Kans., assignor to Didde- Glaser, Inc, Emporia, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Filed Aug. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 574,229 6 Claims. (Cl. 27164) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A single sheet ejector for a paper sheet handling machine wherein mechanism is provided for delivering the sheets successively in rapid order to a stacking station and including a rocker bar oscillated in synchronism with the speed of delivery of the sheets, a shaft overlying the path of travel of the sheets, fingers on the shaft normally positioned above the sheets during rapid delivery thereof, and push button operated structure for coupling the rocker bar to the shaft supporting the fingers only for the time period necessary to move the fingers downwardly into disposition to divert one sheet from the stream thereof and then permitting the fingers to return to their original sandby position while the push button structure remains in an actuated condition so that only one sheet is diverted each time the structure is operated.

This invention relates to improvements for highspeed paper sheet handling machines and in particular, relates to mechanism for selectively diverting a sheet from its normal path of travel and ejecting the same from the machine.

Paper sheet handling machines such as printing presses, folders or the like, even though automated, require at least minimal attention while operating to insure that all of the various components are maintained in proper adjustment. Skilled operators are generally able to analyze the performance of such a machine by studying a single article produced thereby and thus, it is desirable that such an operator have access to the articles as they are delivered by the machine to a stacking station. In the past, it was not unusual for operators to quickly reach into such a machine with their hands and snatch an article therefrom for inspection. However, the high-speed machinery used for paper handling today precludes such manual activity because of the danger of personal injury as well as the danger of jamming the machine if the article is not removed quickly enough to avoid contact with following sheets.

Mechanical sheet ejectors have been proposed for use with high-speed paper-handling machines to relieve the problems encountered with manual diversion of sheets to be inspected. However, two major shortcomings limit the practicality of such proposed ejectors. First, the ejectors were not synchronized with the rate of movement of sheets through the machinery and thus, on occasion, when the diverter stnlcturew as caused to move into the path of the paper sheets, jamming would occur; and secondly, the ejectors would continue to eject sheets until deactivated and excessive wastage would result. It can be seen that both of these problems increase in severity as the speed of the machinery increases.

It is, therefore, theprimary object of the instant invention to provide a single sheet ejector for use with high-speed paper-handling machinery wherein structure is provided for synchronizing the ejector with the rate of movement of paper sheets through the machinery and for permitting selective ejection of only a single sheet each time the ejector is actuated so that the performance of the machinery, as exemplified by the ejected sheet,

3,412,996 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 may be periodically checked without danger of upsetting the operation of the machine and without excessive wastage of material.

As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is an important aim of the invention to provide means continuously movable in synchronization with the paperhandling machinery and shiftable coupling means for joining the movable means and the ejector whereby the coupling may be maintained out of engagement with the synchronized means until ejection of a paper sheet is desired.

A very important object of the present invention is to provide actuator means for moving the coupling into engagement with the synchronized means and thereafter permitting the coupling to move out of engagement with the synchronized means after a single cycle of the latter while the actuator means remains in an actuated condition, to the end that only a single sheet is ejected each ime the acuator means is actuated.

In its broadest aspects, the instant invention provides structure movable into the path of the paper sheets moving through the machinery in synchronozation with the movement of such sheets for diverting a single sheet in response to a manual signal and having novel coupling means for deactivatig the structure even though the signal-producing means remains actuated.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, partly in cross section, of a paper sheet handling machine having single sheet ejector structure embodying the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional, elevational view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are parallel views similar to FIG. 2, showing the single sheet ejector structure at different positions during its operation.

A paper processing or sheet-handling machine embodying the principles of the instant invention is designated broadly by the numeral 10. Machine has mechanism 12 for successively directing individual paper sheets along a path 14 illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 3 to a stacking station 16 shown in FIG. 2. Mechanism 12 includes an elongated roller 18 extending laterally between walls 20 and 22 of machine 10, and a pair of idler rollers 24 spaced longitudinally of roller 18 and disposed in engagement with the latter for rotation therewith. It can be appreciated by those skilled in he art that the inlet nip 26 betwen roller 18 and rollers 24 is aligned with the final printing station of a printing press, or with the conveyor mechanism of folding machines and the like.

Rollers 24 are mounted on a shaft 28 which extends between a pair of bearing mounts 30 on respective walls 20 and 22. Roller 18 is mounted on a shaft 32 rotatably carried by bearing structures 34 in walls 20 and 22. Shaft 32 has an end 36 extending beyond a wall 20 and carrying a chain drive sprocket 38. A shaft 40 is rotatably carried by bearings 4-2 in walls 20 and 22 and has a portion 44 extending beyond wall 20 for mounting a chain sprocket 46 aligned with sprocket 38 on shaft 32.

Machine 10 is provided with single sheet ejector structure broadly designated by the numeral 48. Structure 48 includes finger means 50 comprising an elongated, transversely polygonal, rotatable shaft 52 extending between bearing structures 54 in walls 22 and 20 respectively, and beyond the latter. A plurality of fingers 56 are mounted on shaft 52 by respective mounting blocks 58 and extend laterally from shaft 52 and generally toward path 14 as can be seen from viewing FIG. 3. A crank member 60 is mounted on the end of shaft 52 extending beyond wall 20 for rotation therewith.

A spring stud 62 is mounted on crank member 60, and a corresponding stud 64 is mounted on wall 20 for carrying spring structure in the nature of a coil spring 66 therebetween. As can be seen by viewing FIG. 2, spring 66 biases crank member 60 and thereby fingers 56 in a counterclockwise direction around the axis of shaft 52 and into a normal or standby position out of path 14. Stop means 68 is mounted on wall 20 and located thereon for engaging crank 60 and maintaining the latter in the normal position thereof shown in FIG. 2

Coupling means in the nature of a shiftable element or arm 70 is mounted on crank 60 by pivot means 72. Arm 70 carries a spring stud 74 and crank 60 carries a corresponding spring stud 76 for mounting spring means in the nature of a coil spring 78 therebetween. Spring 78 urges arm 70 in a counterclockwise direction respective to the crank 60 around pivot means 72, and a stop pin 80 is mounted on crank 60 in a position for engaging arm 70 and maintaining the latter in a neutral location illustrated in FIG. 2.

An eccentric cam 82 is mounted on end portion 44 of shaft 40 adjacent sprocket 46. Movable means in the nature of a rocker bar 84 is mounted on wall 20 by pivot means 86 and has a cam follower 88 pivotally mounted thereon for following cam 82. A coil spring 90 extends between a spring stud 92 on bar 84 and a spring stud 94 on wall 20 for urging bar 84 in a clockwise direction around pivot means 86 and maintaining follower 88 in engagement with cam 82.

A timing chain 96 is operably engaged with sprockets 38 and 46 and extends therefrom over a similar sprocket (not shown) on a printing press or the like directing paper products into nip 26 for rotating shafts 32 and 40 and thereby roller 18 and cam 82 in synchronization with the rate of movement of paper sheets along path 14. Thus, it can be seen by viewing FIG. 2 that rocker bar 84 is caused to oscillate in synchronization with the rate of movement of sheets of paper along path 14. Selectively actuatable means in the nature of an operator block 98 having a pushrod 100 extending therethrough, is mounted on wall 20 for rotation about pivot means 102. A coil spring 104 is stretched between a spring stud 106 on block 98, and a corresponding spring stud 108 on wall 20 for yieldably biasing block 98 in a clockwise direction around pivot means 102.

Adjustable stop means 110 is mounted on wall 20 for normally maintaining block 98 and thereby rod 100 in a position to engage a plate 120' rigid with arm 70 when rod 100 is shifted to the right, viewing FIG. 2. Rod 100 has a keeper 112 on the left-hand end thereof, and a coil spring 114 surrounds rod 100 between keeper 112 and block 98 for urging rod 100 leftwardly. A push button 116 mounted through a wall 118 of machine 10 engages rod 100 and extends externally of machine 10 for access by an operator of machine 10'. Plate 120 is bolted or otherwise aflixed to arm 70 and a sharpened lip 122 extends upwardly from the upper right-hand corner of plate 120. Bar 84 has a corresponding lip 124 extending downwardly from the lower left-hand corner thereof for interengagement with lip 122 when arm 70 is moved rightwardly into its operational location by rod 100 as can be seen by viewing FIG. 3.

Op ration In operation, sprocket 46 and thereby shaft 40 are rotated by chain 96 in synchronization with the rate of movement of paper sheets moving along path 14. Spring 90 urges bar 84 in a clockwise direction around pivot means 86 and maintains cam follower 88 in contact with cam 82 which rotates with shaft 40 Thus, bar 84 and thereby lip 124 are oscillated in synchronization with the movement of paper sheets along path 14. The extreme positions of lip 124 during its oscillation are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, and it can be seen by viewing FIG. 2,

that so long as arm 70 remains in its neutral position lip 124 does not engage lip 122.

When the operator of machine 10 desires to eject a single sheet from machine 10', he pushes button 116 in the direction indicated in FIG. 3. Rod 100 is thus shifted rightwardly and caused to contact plate 120, arm 70 being rotated thereby in a clockwise direction around pivot means 72 to cause lip 122 to move into the path of oscillation of lip 124. Lips 122 and 124 thus become interengaged and arm 70, crank 60 and thereby fingers 56, are rotated in a clockwise direction around the axis of shaft 52 and into the positions indicated in FIG. 4. It can be seen that fingers 56 now extend through path 14 in an operative location for diverting sheets along a separate path 126 indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 4. Thus, when finger means is in its operative location, plate 120 is no longer engaged by rod 100 and since the latter is continually urged rightwardly by the force exerted on button 116, end 128 of rod 100 is shifted into a position overlying the upper left-hand corner of plate 120. As shaft 40 continues to rotate cam 82, bar 84 will rotate in a clockwise direction around pivot means 86 under the urging of spring 90, and crank will be permitted to rotate in a counterclockwise direction around the axis of shaft 52 under the influence of spring 66. Plate 120 will contact the underside of end 128 of rod 100 causing block 98 and rod 100 to move in a counterclockwise direction around pivot means 102 and against the bias of spring 104. As crank 60 continues to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, stop means 68 will be encountered thereby preventing further counterclockwise rotation. Since lip 124 continues to move upwardly after crank 60 engages stop 68, lips 122 and 124- are disengaged and arm is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by spring 78 acting thereon into its neutral position with end 128 of rod resting on the top of plate 120.

It can be seen from viewing FIG. 4, that when finger means 50 is in its operative position, end 128 of rod 100 and plate are no longer engaged. It is to be noted that the interengagement between lips 122 and 124 prevent arm 70 from rotating in a counterclockwise direction under the influence of spring 78, thus maintaining bar 84 and crank 60 operably connected. It is to be further noted that when crank 60 engages stop 68, since end :128 is resting atop plate 120, there is nothing to prevent counterclockwise rotation of arm 70- around pivot means 72 as lip 124 continues to move upwardly out of engagement with lip 122. Hence, each time button 116 is pressed rightwardly, fingers 56 are moved into the position indicated in FIG. 4 long enough to divert only a single sheet of paper and are then returned automatically to the standby position indicated in FIG. 2 even though button 116 and, thereby rod 100, remain in an actuated condition.

All of the objects of the instant invention have been fulfilled to a substantial degree by the structure described above and claimed in the appended claims. The fingers 56 operate in timed synchronization with the rate of movement of sheets of paper along path 14 and remain in a position for diverting sheets along path 126 only long enough to divert a single sheet. Therefore, it can be seen that the likelihood of jamming and excess wastage of material are substantially eliminated. Moreover, the novel single sheet ejector mechanism of the instant invention can be readily incorporated in the design of high-speed paper processing machines and is readily caused to operate in synchronization therewith.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A single sheet ejector for a paper sheet handling machine having mechanism for delivering sheets successively in rapid order to a stacking station, said ejector comprising:

finger means mounted adjacent the path of travel of said sheets and movable from a normal position to a location for diverting sheets from said path;

a rocker bar pivotally mounted on said machine adjacent to and operably connected with said mechanism for oscillation thereby in synchronization with the rate of movement of the sheets along said path of travel thereof;

coupling means for joining the finger means to said rocker bar, said coupling means including a shiftable element movable into the path of said rocker bar and connected to said finger means for moving the latter to said location while the element is actuated by said rocker bar; and

selectively actuatable means operably associated with said element for moving the latter into the path of said rocker bar during the delivery of a single sheet upon actuation of the selectively actuatable means and for thereafter permitting the element to move out of the path of the rocker bar while said actuatable means remains in actuated condition.

2. A single sheet ejector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said finger means includes a rotatable shaft carried by said machine, a plurality of fingers carried by said shaft and extending laterally therefrom generally toward said path, and a crank member disposed on one end of the shaft adjacent said rocker bar, said coupling means comprising an arm pivotally mounted on said member.

3. A single sheet ejector as set forth in claim 2, wherein said actuatable means includes a reciprocable pushrod movable upon actuation thereof into engagement with said arm for moving the latter into the path of said rocker bar and an operator block for said rod pivotally mounted on said machine adjacent said arm for movement in a direction to permit said arm to move out of the path of the rocker bar.

4. A single sheet ejector as set forth in claim 3, wherein is provided spring means for urging said arm to pivot on said crank member in a direction out of the path of oscillation of said bar, there being respective sharpened lips on said bar and said arm disposed for interengagement when the arm is moved into said path of oscillation by the pushrod to maintain said arm and the bar in operative relationship during diversion of a single sheet by said fingers.

-5. A single sheet ejector as set forth in claim 4, wherein is provided spring structure for biasing said crank and thereby said fingers in a direction toward said normal location, there being stop means engageable with said crank for limiting the movement of the latter in said direction, whereby said lips are disengaged when the crank engages the stop means during oscillation of the bar to thereby permit said arm to be moved out of said path of oscillation by said spring means.

6. In a paper processing machine having mechanism for successively directing individual paper sheets along a path to a stacking station, the combination with said mechanism of:

ejector structure pivotally mounted on said machine adjacent said path for movement between standby and operative positions, said structure having finger means thereon disposed for blocking said path when the structure is in its operative position and diverting sheets along a separate path, there being a coupling arm pivotally mounted on said structure for movement therewith and for movement relative thereto between a neutral location and an operational location;

selectively actuatable means pivotally mounted on said machine having a pushrod located upon actuation of the actuatable means for engaging said arm when the latter is in its neutral location and the structure is in the standby position thereof and shifting the arm into its operational location;

means biasing said structure toward the standby position thereof; and

a rocker bar operably connected with said mechanism for oscillation in synchronization with the rate of movement of said sheets along the path of travel thereof, said bar being located to engage said arm when the latter is in its operational location and shift said arm and thereby said structure toward the operative position of the latter, said arm being located to clear the rod when the structure is in its operative position and contact the rod when said structure is returned to its standby position under the influence of said bias means for pivoting said actuatable means, whereby the latter is rendered inoperable to shift said arm into the operational location thereof while said actuatable means remains in actuated condition.

References Cited EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner. 

